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Front Cover photograph © Copyright Nigel Deeley and licensed for reuse under

this Creative Commons Licence

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction .................................................................................. 3

2.0 Vision and objectives ................................................................... 5

3.0 Future housing development ...................................................... 7

4.0 Built environment - design of future development .................. 11

5.0 Natural environment - protecting landscape character ........... 13

6.0 Protecting local community facilities ....................................... 16

7.0 Rural employment and tourism ................................................. 17

8.0 Highways and infrastructure ..................................................... 18

Map 1 – Garway village proposals map ............................................ 19

Map 2 – Broad Oak village proposals map ....................................... 20

Prepared by the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group on behalf of

Garway Parish Council with assistance from

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1.0 Introduction

1.1 A Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) is a mechanism for helping

communities, including both local residents and businesses to influence the

planning of the area in which they live and work. It can be used to:

a. Develop a shared vision for the neighbourhood.

b. Propose where new homes, shops, offices and other development

should be built.

c. Influence what new buildings should look like.

d. Identify and protect important local green spaces.

1.2 Garway Parish Council is preparing a Neighbourhood Development Plan,

under the provisions of the Localism Act 2012. Neighbourhood Development

Plans are a new part of the statutory development planning system. Local

authorities, such as Herefordshire Council, can produce development plans to

promote, guide and control development of houses, businesses, open spaces

and other uses of land. Parish Councils can do this by preparing a

Neighbourhood Development Plan.

1.3 The Garway Parish Council felt it was important to exercise their rights to

influence local development and in September 2012 applied for the area to be

designated a Neighbourhood Development Planning Area. For a map see

Figure 1. Herefordshire Council approved this application in November 2012.

1.4. Neighbourhood Development Plans have to be prepared following a process

set by Government. Figure 2 is a table showing the process.

1.5 Since early 2016, a Parish Council Steering Group has been preparing this

Neighbourhood Development Plan and has carried out community

consultations since that date. The Neighbourhood Development Plan will

enable local residents to help shape future development in the parish.

1.6 Whilst the Garway Neighbourhood Development Plan documents appears

technical in parts, this is because it has a future use as a statutory planning

document.

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Figure 1: Garway Designated Area

Figure 2: Neighbourhood Development Planning Process

Designation Preparing the Plan

Formal Consultation

(6 weeks)

Revise Plan

Submit to Herefordshire

Council

Herefordshire Council Consult for

6 weeks

Examination Referendum

Garway Neighbourhood

Development Plan made

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2.0 Vision and objectives

2.1 The overall vision for the Garway Neighbourhood Development Plan is as

follows:

Vision

Development in the parish of Garway will be within the settlement boundaries of Garway village and Broad Oak village shown in this plan. All development will aim to enhance the sense of community, character of buildings and environment of the settlements making Garway and Broad Oak vibrant and interesting centres of value to the residents and the wider parish.

2.2 The following table includes the objectives to achieve the vision, with the

relevant policies within the Neighbourhood Development Plan to facilitate this.

Objective

Relevant Policy

1 The Neighbourhood Development Plan defines the Settlement Boundaries where development will be supported.

GAR1

2 The rural character of both village and countryside will be conserved and enhanced by new development.

GAR1, GAR2, GAR3, GAR4, GAR5, GAR6, GAR7, GAR8, GAR9, GAR10

3 New development will be integrated into its setting, whether at the heart of the villages, or in the more rural areas.

GAR1, GAR2, GAR4, GAR5, GAR6, GAR7, GAR8, GAR9, GAR10

4 All development will be designed to ensure it has minimal impact on the area’s distinctive character and environment.

GAR1, GAR2, GAR3, GAR4, GAR5, GAR6, GAR7, GAR8, GAR9, GAR10

5 All development will maintain the layout of the villages, taking into account features such as ribbon development and ensuring significant views are protected.

GAR1, GAR2, GAR4, GAR5, GAR6, GAR7, GAR8, GAR9

6 Important issues such as access and road safety are taken into account.

GAR1, GAR2, GAR7, GAR8, GAR9, GAR10

7 Rainwater and sewage drainage systems are fit for purpose avoiding risks to health and safety.

GAR3

8 Distinctive features such as landscape and dark skies are preserved.

GAR4, GAR5

9 All development is essential to support the needs of the local community, including affordable housing.

GAR1, GAR8, GAR9

10 Community facilities are protected (such as pubs, school, community centre etc.)

GAR7

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3.0 Future housing development

3.1 There is a need in the parish for suitable new housing both open market and

affordable to allow local residents to continue to live in the parish. This is a

primary focus of this Neighbourhood Development Plan.

3.2 The Herefordshire Core Strategy sets the strategic policy for the Garway

Neighbourhood Development Plan area. Within this document, Garway

Parish falls within the Ross on Wye Rural Housing Market Area which is

required to grow by 14% over the Plan period up to 2031. Herefordshire

Council’s Neighbourhood Planning Team have confirmed that the proportional

growth required for Garway Parish is a minimum of 25 new dwellings up to

2031.

3.3 The target figures for Garway as at 1st April 2018 provided by Herefordshire

Council are as follows:

Proportional growth 25 dwellings

Built as at 1 April 2018 4 dwellings

Commitment 6 dwellings

Residual Target 15 dwellings

3.4 There have been a number of approvals for dwellings between 1st April 2018

and 6th June 2018 which count towards the target for development in the

parish. These are as follows:

App Ref Site Address Description Approved No Running

Total

P180071/F Court

Cottage

Garway

Proposed erection of 5

dwellings and

associated garaging

and new vehicular

access.

20/6/2018 5 5

P180061/F Land

adjacent to

St Marys

Church

Broad Oak

Proposed residential

development 4

detached and semi-

detached dwellings.

19/7/2018 4 9

P182394/O Land

between

Newlands

Cottage and

Newholme

Garway

Court Lane

Site for the erection of

a detached dwelling

with garage, with

access via the former

access to Newholme,

Garway

3/10/2018 1 10

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App Ref Site Address Description Approved No Running

Total

P182729/F Land at

Broad Oak

House

Broad Oak

A new two storey

dwelling

8/11/2018 1 11

P182822/F Court

Cottage

Garway

Erection of 2

Dwellings and

associated garaging

and revised vehicular

access for planning

approval 180075/F

16/4/2019 2 13

P183951/F Land to the

west of St

Marys

Church

Broad Oak

Proposed erection of

two detached

dwellings and new

vehicular access.

18/4/2019 2 15

3.5 Garway village is identified in the Core Strategy as a settlement which will be

the main focus of proportionate housing development (Fig 4.14 of the

Herefordshire Local Plan Core Strategy). With Broad Oak village identified as

another settlement where proportionate growth is appropriate, (Figure 4.15 of

the Herefordshire Local Plan Core Strategy) and therefore everywhere outside

the two settlements is considered to be the wider rural area, where new

housing development is inappropriate.

3.6 To have some control over the location of new housing development, the

Parish Council consider it appropriate to identify a settlement boundary for

both Garway Village and Broad Oak and seek to allocate sites for new

housing development to ensure the minimum target set by the Herefordshire

Core Strategy is achieved.

3.7 The settlement boundary for Garway has been drawn up based on the

existing linear village form (east to west) and includes commitments that

reflect this form and character.

3.8 However, Herefordshire Council have approved other development close to

the village at Ivy Cottage for 8 dwellings on a site north of the main village

linear form.

3.9 Whilst this development has received planning approval, the Parish Council

do not consider the location of the site is in accordance with the vision,

objectives and policies of the Garway Neighbourhood Development Plan, as it

does not reflect the existing form and character of the village, and is

considered to be backland development, which the Parish Council would not

like to be repeated due to its impact on the character of the village.

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3.10 Garway village has a linear east to west character and form. For the purposes

of the Neighbourhood Development Plan, whilst this site will be included on

the policies map as a commitment, it is not included in the figures towards the

target in the Neighbourhood Development Plan, nor will the settlement

boundary be extended around the site.

Call for Sites and Site Allocation

3.11 As part of the NDP preparation the Parish Council Steering Group looked at

the allocation of land for residential development A “Call for Sites” exercise

was carried out between November 2017 and January 2018.

3.12 In total 19 sites were either submitted to, or identified by, the Neighbourhood

Development Plan Steering Group. The sites were assessed independently,

and the Site Assessment Report is available on the Parish Council website.

3.13 The Parish Council considered that a local weighting should be applied to the

scoring mechanism and the resultant spreadsheet is also available on the

Parish Council website.

3.14 A further consultation was carried out with the community in July 2018 in

relation to the sites proposed for allocation in the Neighbourhood

Development Plan which supported the allocation of the proposed sites.

3.15 There are two site allocations located in Garway village as follows:

Land at little Newlands 5 - 6 dwellings

Land adjacent to Old

School, Garway

2 dwellings

3.16 In addition there is the potential for the conversion of the old school, which has

previously had permission for conversion to three dwellings.

3.17 The following policy is proposed for any future housing development in the

plan period.

Policy GAR1: New Housing Development in Garway Village and Broad Oak Within the defined settlement boundaries of Garway Village (Map 1) and Broad Oak (Map 2) or on a site allocated for residential development in this Neighbourhood Development Plan, new housing development proposals will be supported when they:

a. Re-use previously developed land, where possible; b. Are an appropriate conversion of an existing building; c. Are appropriate to the size, role and function of the village; d. Provide a range and mix of house sizes, types and tenures;

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e. Enhance the rural character of the area, by being in accordance with the design policy in this plan;

f. Do not increase traffic congestion, encourage on-street parking, or jeopardise road safety;

g. Are not likely to be adversely affected by existing agricultural or commercial activity’

h. Do not lead to the loss, damage or detriment of existing community facilities, Local Green Space, Special Wildlife Sites or assets on the National Heritage List for England and Herefordshire Council’s Monuments Record;

i. Do not lead to the loss of local employment opportunities, including tourism;

j. Are not at significant risk of flooding and they can demonstrate they will not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere;

k. Where applicable, provide appropriate affordable housing when assessed against Herefordshire Core Strategy Policy H1:

l. Comply with, in Garway Village, the linear character of the layout of the village; and

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4.0 Built environment - design of future development

4.1 Garway parish has a wealth of listed buildings and scheduled monuments

within its parish boundary. These consist of two Grade I, one Grade II*,

twenty-eight Grade II listed buildings and two scheduled monuments.

4.2 Today, with regard to the style of properties, the parish is a mix of older and

more recent, modern properties. Traditional materials include Herefordshire

red sandstone and slate roofs with red brick being introduced more recently.

4.3 The Garway Neighbourhood Development Plan seeks to encourage all new

development to be of high quality design.

4.4 Paragraph 125 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework states:

“Plans should, at the most appropriate level, set out a clear design vision and

expectations, so that applicants have as much certainty as possible about

what is likely to be acceptable. Design policies should be developed with local

communities, so they reflect local aspirations, and are grounded in an

understanding and evaluation of each area’s defining characteristics.

Neighbourhood development plans can play an important role in identifying

the special qualities of each area and explaining how this should be reflected

in development.”

4.5 Policy GAR2 has been developed to set out the quality of development we

expect and is based on a thorough understanding and evaluation of the area’s

defining characteristics. This policy will be used in the assessment of all

planning proposals and will help secure high-quality development in the future.

This approach is in line with the aims of national planning policy to promote

good design.

Policy GAR2: Design in Garway Parish All new development in the area will be expected to be of high quality design. Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

a. Contribution to improving and enhancing the built heritage and natural environment of the site and its surroundings;

b. The overall design of the proposal in terms of siting, scale, height, proportions, massing, orientation, mix of uses, detailing, and materials;

c. The design does not adversely impact on existing natural horizons, and has appropriate regard to existing roof lines;

d. The design does not adversely impact on the residential amenity of existing and future residents;

e. Sustainable construction and design is used to minimise the use of resources and emissions and use recycled materials, renewable energy and the natural treatment of wastewater and the re-use of grey water, wherever possible;

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f. The use of locally-sourced or recycled natural slate tiles for roofing and local stone for walling is encouraged;

g. Use of suitable native species in any planting and inclusion of bird nest boxes and roosting opportunities for bats; and

h. Access and highway safety, including the provision of new and improved pedestrian footpaths and footways, permissive pedestrian rights of way and cyclepaths, and provision of safe pedestrian road crossings where required and feasible.

4.6 Whilst the majority of the parish is located in Flood Zone 1, the areas around

the River Monnow are located in Flood Zone 3. There are a number of

tributaries that suffer from surface water flooding.

4.7 In line with the National Planning Policy Framework, inappropriate

development in areas at risk of flooding will be avoided by directing

development away from the areas at highest risk. Where development is

necessary in such areas, measures should be included to make it safe without

increasing flood risk elsewhere.

4.8 This policy is included in order that new development is designed to

incorporate surface water drainage systems.

Policy GAR3 – Flooding and Drainage All new development is required to include adequate surface water drainage measures (including Sustainable Drainage Systems) to protect existing and new development from flooding. Development should be designed to reduce the consequences of flooding and to facilitate recovery from the effects of flooding. All development of existing properties (including alterations) must demonstrate that surface water is diverted into suitable and adequate drainage systems and not sewers.

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5.0 Natural environment - protecting landscape character

5.1 The rural nature of the parish is evident from whichever way it is approached.

Garway Village itself sits well within the landscape and does not dominate it in

any way. Any future development should aim to preserve this and avoid large

uniform housing estates on the edge of the village. Any development in Broad

Oak should also be in scale and in sympathy with the existing housing stock

and should also take into account the natural habitat and have a minimal

impact on it.

5.2 There are 21 kilometres of public footpaths in the parish along with numerous

public rights of way in the villages and throughout this rural parish. These

footpaths are heavily used by locals and visitors alike and the Parish Plan

2009 report noted the importance of the network to local people. It is

important that these are maintained and protected, as the footpaths are an

asset to the local economy by attracting walkers to the area. The footpaths

also facilitate dog walking and encourage healthy exercise in an ageing

population. Development that would compromise the open aspect of these

rural footpaths should be avoided as far as possible.

5.3 The landscape is one of the parish’s strongest assets. This policy identifies

those aspects that make the landscape so important. In developing this policy

regard has been had to Natural England’s National Character Area (NCA)

Profiles. The north of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Area is situated

within NCA104 “South Herefordshire and Over Severn”.

POLICY GAR4 - Protecting Local Landscape Character

To protect and enhance the valued landscape of the parish development proposals will have to demonstrate that:

a. The character of the parish landscape has influenced the design, scale, form and siting of the development proposed;

b. They protect and enhance the range of differing settings of the various settlements in the parish;

c. They protect and enhance any designated areas such as wildlife sites, listed buildings, and ancient monuments;

d. They retain and enhance non-designated assets such as stone walls, ancient and veteran trees, wildlife sites and commons;

e. They protect and enhance the natural environment, heritage and scenic beauty of the parish;

f. They incorporate appropriate landscaping schemes and future on-going management of such schemes to ensure the proposal integrates into the surrounding landscape;

g. They maintain and extend native tree species, hedgerows, and other important vegetation;

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h. They will not have an adverse impact on the environmental quality of the area’s priority habitats and ancient woodlands; and

i. Proposals should conserve watercourses and riverside habitats. Where necessary, this should include management and mitigation measures for the improvement and enhancement of water quality and habitat.

5.4 Obtrusive lighting installations can have a devastating impact in a community,

causing nuisance to neighbours, and obscuring views of the night sky, as well

as wasting energy. Well-designed lighting installations reduce the risk of crime

and improve public safety.

5.5 The neighbourhood area’s rural environment means it benefits from “dark

skies”. This means when skies are clear, people can see the stars

constellations in all their glory. To ensure that this will be the same in the

future, the following policy will be used to assess the light generated from

development proposals. Light pollution from the ground is one of the reasons

many areas do not enjoy the type of “dark skies” found in this parish. In

limiting or reducing light pollution there may also be benefits to the owners

and users of developments through reduced energy bills as a result of lower

energy consumption. Reducing light pollution also reduces the impact on

species affected by inappropriate lighting such as bats.

Policy GAR5 - Dark Skies To minimise light pollution in the parish and to improve the views of our night-time skies, planning proposals that include external lighting and significant openings that would allow internal lighting to be seen externally, will have to demonstrate the following:

a. They have undertaken an appropriate assessment and can demonstrate the need for the lighting proposed;

b. That care has been taken to provide appropriate lighting, using systems designed to prevent obtrusive lighting nuisance, minimise light pollution and reduce energy consumption.

5.7 Key characteristics of the area are the rural environment and its tranquillity.

Policy GAR6 aims to protect these characteristics by seeking to ensure that

development is appropriate in terms of its use, scale and type of activity

suitable to a tranquil, rural environment.

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Policy GAR6 – Rural Environment and Tranquillity To protect the integrity of the rural environment and the tranquillity of the parish, development proposals will be supported when they do not give rise to significant adverse impacts on these resources. The following criteria will be used to assess proposals:

a. The use, nature, scale, type of activity and opening hours (where appropriate) of any proposal;

b. For business and tourism proposals a Noise Impact Assessment will be required with any planning application, and may be required, in certain circumstances, for other forms of development; and

c. The inclusion of suitable mitigation measures to reduce to a minimum any significant adverse impact. Such measures will be conditioned where necessary.

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6.0 Protecting local community facilities

6.1 There are many excellent community facilities in Garway which serve the

parish itself, and other surrounding rural villages.

6.2 Community facilities are essential to village life and help maintain the rural

character.

Policy GAR7- Protecting and Improving Community Facilities The following local recreational facilities are protected:

• Garway Community Centre

• Garway Moon Inn

• Garway School

• Churches There will be a presumption in favour of the re-use of such facilities for recreational, health, community type uses. The change of use of existing facilities to other uses will not be permitted unless the following can be demonstrated:

a. The proposal includes alternative provision, on a site within the locality, of equivalent or enhanced facilities. Such sites should be accessible by public transport, walking and cycling and have adequate car parking; or

b. it can be satisfactorily demonstrated that the facility is no longer required or is no longer viable.

Development which contributes towards the improvement of existing, or provision of, new recreational, community and educational facilities will be encouraged.

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7.0 Rural employment and tourism

7.1 Employment opportunities such as homeworking and tourism are key to the

rural areas of Herefordshire. The following policies have been developed for

Garway Parish which promote tourism opportunities and rural businesses and

homeworking.

Policy GAR8 – Tourism in Garway Parish Proposals for new tourism development or to improve and enhance existing tourism facilities will be supported when:

a. They are appropriate within the local landscape setting; b. They do not have a significant adverse impact on the

landscape, tranquility or views within the wider parish; c. They do not result in a detrimental impact on road safety,

traffic congestion or car parking problems; and d. They do not have a significant adverse impact on residential

amenity.

Policy GAR9 – Rural Businesses and Homeworking Proposals for new rural businesses and homeworking will be supported where they meet all of the following criteria:

a. They do not have a significant adverse impact on residential amenity;

b. They do not have an adverse impact on the landscape, tranquillity or Green Infrastructure network of the parish; and

c. They include suitable access and car parking.

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8.0 Highways and infrastructure

8.1 The Parish Plan 2009 identified issues with speeding traffic and repair and

maintenance of roads. However, these issues are not planning issues to be

dealt with through a Neighbourhood Development Plan.

8.2 The following policy has been developed for Garway Parish which promote a

better highway infrastructure

Policy GAR10– Highways and Transport All new development proposals should include appropriate measures to minimise their impact on the Neighbourhood Development Plan Area by providing:

a. Safe and suitable access by focusing development on the main road that forms the spine of the linear Garway Village

b. Any necessary and appropriate traffic management measures; c. Off-road car parking that avoids the use of large areas of

hardstandings, particularly using materials more appropriate to urban locations. All car parking should be appropriately sited and screened within the landscape; and

d. Access to public transport including the creation of permissive footpaths to bus stops, where appropriate.

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Map 1 – Garway village proposals map

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Map 2 – Broad Oak village proposals map

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Garway Parish Council

June 2019